Killing of Armed Forces general still a mystery
Killing of Armed Forces general still a mystery
JAKARTA (JP): The police remained silent yesterday on the
killing of an Army brigadier general, found dead from severe stab
wounds after a mysterious attack in East Jakarta on Monday
evening.
Head of the investigation unit of the City Police
Headquarters, Col. Gunawan, also the chief of the special team
assigned to investigate the killing, refused to comment.
Police sources said that two suspects were arrested just hours
after the slaying of Brig. Gen. TMF Tampubolon, 54, expert staff
on economic affairs to the Armed Forces (ABRI) Chief and a former
intelligence deputy assistant to ABRI's chief of general affairs.
At least two suspects, identified as Lukman and Budi, remain
at large.
The arrested men are Hendri and Joko, nicknamed Yanto. The
police say both are in their 20s, but have released no further
information.
Tampubolon died at the UKI hospital in East Jakarta, half an
hour after the attack at around 10 p.m. Monday at the crossroad
of Jl Kebon Nanas in Cipinang Muara.
He died within two kilometers of his house at the Armed
Forces' Diskum AD housing complex.
So far, witnesses have painted three versions of the events
leading to the killing of the general, who drove alone in his
official green Mitsubishi sedan that evening.
According to the first, Tampubolon was attacked by one of a
group of young men after he smashed into another motorist.
The group, standing near the scene, saw the incident and
shouted at him, asking Tampubolon to avoid crashing into other
people.
Hearing the shouting, the general turned his car back towards
the group.
He grabbed one of the loiterers by the collar and asked: "What
did you yell at me just now?"
Beyond the general's expectation, the man, whose name has been
withheld, pulled out a blade and repeatedly stabbed the general.
The second version has it that after the accident, the men
approached Tampubolon and forced open his window. After a few
seconds of heated argument, the general was stabbed.
No reports on the fate of the motorist who had the accident
with Tampubolon was available.
Phone call
The third, more unusual theory of his death, suggests that
Tampubolon left his house after a phone call. He was stopped by a
group of drunken young men, who attacked him when he questioned
their actions.
He was stabbed in the face, stomach and hands.
"I've nothing to say at this moment," said head of the East
Jakarta police precinct, Lt. Col. Siswono Susilo, who accompanied
Gunawan in questioning the two suspects.
A number of high-ranking Armed Forces officers were seen at
the police precinct yesterday.
The sedan used by Tampubolon was kept at the precinct. Blood
could be seen on the driver's seat.
Police also have the blade they say was used to kill the
general.
Tampubolon, a father of five, will be buried in Bandung, West
Java, today. (bsr)